Earth and Life Science ABM

NATURAL PROCESSES AND HAZARDS

Geologic Hazards and Mitigation

Learning objectives 
 describe the various hazards that may happen in the event of
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and landslides

Definition of Terms
Hazard – “a source of danger”
Risk - “The chance of loss to lives and damage to property”
Mitigation – to make (something) less severe, harmful, or painful

“Risk = Hazard x (People + Property)”

Geologic Hazards and Mitigation

o The processes that have shaped Earth continually act on or
beneath the surface.
o Geologic hazards brought by earthquakes, earthquake-induced
landslides, volcanic eruption, and tsunamis are due to the
movement of plates and local concentrations of geologic heating.
o The geologic hazards cause great risk to both humans and humanmade structures.

Earthquakes
 Since 1968, the Philippine Institure of Volcanology and
Seismology (PHILVOLCS), the government agency overlooking
all seismic and volcanic activities in the Philippines, recorded 12
destructive earthquakes.

The Top Ten Provinces that are at Risk to Earthquakes includes:

1. Surigao Del Sur
2. La Union
3. Benguet
4. Pangasinan
5. Pampanga
6. Tarlac
7. Ifugao
8. Davao Oriental
9. Nueva Vizcaya
10. Nueva Ecija

 La Union and Pangasinan are prone to Earthquakes, due to the Manila Trench while Surigao del Sur and
Davao Oriental are at risk for earthquakes in Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Eastern Pangasinan, Benguet
and La Union can be attributed to its location along the Philippines Fault Zone.

Landslides
 When earthquakes occur, the shaking and rupture are usually accompanied by other environmental risks
such as landslides.

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 When earthquakes happen in humanmade embankments and natural slopes in mountainous areas, the
hazard and potential devastation greatly increases.

The top ten provinces that are risk to earthquake-

induced landslides include:
1. Ifugao
2. Lanao Del Sur
3. Sanrangani
4. Benguet
5. Mountain Province
6. Bukidnon
7. Aurora
8. Davao del Sur
9. Davoa Oriental
10. Rizal

Volcanic Eruption

 The Philippines lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire. This

explains the distribution of most volcanoes in the
Philippines.
 The Mount Pinatubo eruption of 1991 was well known to be
the most violent eruption in the 20th century.
 There are 22 historically active volcanoes distributed all over the Philippine archipelago.

The top ten provinces at risk for volcanic eruptions

include:
1. Camiguin
2. Sulu
3. Biliran
4. Albay
5. Bataan
6. Sorsogon
7. South cotabato
8. Laguna
9. Camarines Sur
10. Batanes

Tsunamis
 Aside from landslides, tsunami is another risk caused by earthquakes or seismic activities that affect
bodies of water.
 The Philippines, being an archipelago located in the region of the Pacific Ring of Fire, is constantly at
risk for tsunami.
 In November 14, 1994, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Mindoro triggered a tsunami that left 41 dead.

The top ten provinces that are at risk to tsunamis include:

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1. Sulu
2. Tawi-tawi
3. Basilan
4. Batanes
5. Guimaras
6. Romblon
7. Siquijor
8. Surigao del Norte
9. Camiguin
10. Mastbate

 Sulu and Tawi-tawi are highly vulnerable to tsunamis due to their being in between two nearby trenches
(Sulu Trench and Cotabato Trench) and their dense population.
 Similarly, most areas in Basilan and Romblon are at high risk especially because they have been
previously affected by tsunami.

HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PHENOMENA AND HAZARDS

o These are processes of atmospheric, hydrological or oceanographic nature that may cause the loss of life
or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation.
Ex. tropical cyclones, monsoon rains (habagat and amihan), tornado, ipo-ipo and thunderstorms, floods,
drought, wildfire and storm surges

Monsoon

 A monsoon is a consistent reversal of wind pattern or a wind system generated by large weather system
affecting a large area over a period of several months
Southwest monsoon (habagat)
 occur within the months of May and October
 brings heavy rain to the Philippines, with the highest percentage of rainfall attributed to the
occurrence of tropical cyclones.
Northeast monsoon (amihan) – occur within the months of November and February

Tropical cyclones or bagyo

 common in the Philippines due to its being in the typhoon belt.

 The Philippines Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services (PAGASA) is the government
weather bureau which monitor atmospheric occurences within the Philippine area of responsibily, its
internationally-recognized jurisdiction.
 PAGASA records an average of 20 tropical cyclones entering the PAR annually, with about five being
destructive.
 There are five categories of tropical cyclones based on their wind speed.
TROPICAL CYCLONES AND WIND SPEEDS
Types Sustained Wind Near the
Center
Tropical depression 30-6- km/h
Tropical storm 61-88 km/h
Severe tropical storm 89-117 km/h
Typhoon 118-219 km/h
Super typhoon faster than 220 km/h
 The northern and eastern Luzon, Bicol, and Visayas regions are constantly at risk for
hydrometeorological phenomena.sa
 With the occurrence of tropical cyclones, floods could also occur as a result.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the effects of tropical cyclones and flooding, PAGASA have implemented some measures.

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 Floods and 3D hazard maps are made and disseminated to areas which are usually hit by typhoons and
areas which are prone to flooding.
 PAGASA issues public weather forecasts and advisories called Public Storm Warning in several mass
media to provide warnings related conditions.
 In the past decade, they have used a four-level warning system.
 Since the occurrence of Typhoon Yolanda, they deemed that the four-level system has become
inadequate, leading to the current five-level warning which has been modified as follows:
PUBLIC STORM WARNING SYSTEM
Level Wind and Lead Time
1 30-60 km/h; within 36 hours
2 60-120 km/h; within 24 hours
3 120-170 km/h; within 18 hours
4 170-220 km/h; within 12 hours
5 faster than 220 km/h; within 12 hours
 PAGASA’s PSWS:
 PSWS 1 – All classes in kindergarten are suspended.
 PSWS 2 – All classes in elementary and high school are suspended.
 PSWS 3 – All classes in all levels, including college and graduate schools, are suspended.
 Aside from the PSWS, PAGASA also provides color-coded rainfall warning system in their storm
forecasts to help communities prepare for incoming heavy rain and potential flooding and act
accordingly.

 The Nationwide Operational Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) of the Department of

Science and Technology is one of the many programs the Philippine government has undertaken to
address disaster prevention and mitigation in the country.
- They have provided the public with high-resolution flood hazard maps which are useful in
identifying areas prone to flooding, such as the areas near the 18 major river systems in the
country.

MARINE AND COASTAL PROCESSES AND HAZARDS

o Throughout the world, there are more than three billion people are living within 200 km near coastlines.
o Living in coastal areas provides many benefits such as food production and revenue from tourism.
o Coastal area refers to the land and sea areas bordering the shoreline.
o It comprises the natural boundary between the land and ocean which may include the beach, dunes,
mangroves, estuary, delta, or lagoon, among others.
o As an archipelago located in the tropics, the Philippines is particularly susceptible to coastal hazards.
o The hazards of living near coastlines include dangers of waves, tides, erosion, flood or submersion, and
saltwater intrusion.

Submersion Coastal Erosion

 Waves which are caused by wind and storms, cause large impacts around the coastline for the potential
coastal erosion, flooding, and damages they may bring.
 Tides, which are the result of the gravitational attraction of the sun and moon on the oceans, cause the
frequent rise and fall of ocean levels.
 The process of wave action, wave currents, and tidal currents wear away the land and removes
sediments near the coastline (coastal erosion).
Mitigation
- To prevent flooding and erosion, structures can be built to attempt to stop the transport of sand,
uncontrolled rise of sea level, and the forces of waves and tides.

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- Building seawalls which run parallel to the sea prevents the direct impact of coastal processes to
landforms near the coast.
- Building groynes along with seawalls could also be helpful. Groynes are build perpendicular to
the beach to limit the movement of sediment and interrupt the natural flow of water and waves.
(wood, concrete, or pile of rocks)

Saltwater Intrusion
 When saline water moves into freshwater aquifers, which are the main source of drinking water in
coastal areas, it often leads to contamination.
 Intrusion of saltwater happens naturally because of the varying densities of saltwater and freshwater.
 When the demand of freshwater is greater than the natural recharge rate of the aquifer ( primarily
though, the rate of saltwater intrusion increases, leading to the depletion of useable groundwater.
Mitigation
- Injection wells are built where freshwater in injection wells creates a hydraulic pressure or
barrier to saltwater intrusion.